Towing device.



A. T. POEHLIMANN.

TOWING DEVICE. APPLICATION HLED FEB-5, x916;

Pmehted Feb. 18, 1919.

I'I T anmnnw 'rnus'r 'ronntmaivn, or'cacrohsvinnn,"rranrnann.

rewind nnvlcn.

I MANN, a citizen of the United States, residtilt to furnish the motive power.

ing at Catonsville. in the county of Baltimore and State of lvlaryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Towing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved device by means of which a disabled motor vehicle may be conveniently towed by another Velncle to a garage or other establishment for repairs. l'

When automobiles become disabled while in operation, the common practice is to send another car for the incapacitated machine, and to tow the latter to the garage or repair shop by means of a rope or ropes. This method is highly unsatisfactory because during the towing operation, the weight of the towed machine is intermittently applied to the cable, owing to inequalities in the road bed over which the machines are traveling, and it is not unusual for the strains incident to these conditions, to partially wreck the machine doing the towing, or at least soinjure it as to necessitate extensive repairs. Another disadvantage of'the present practice lies in the fact that it is impossible to control the movements of the towed vehicle, in any manner, unless an operator is placed at the steering wheel, thereby necessitating the employment of at least two men to bring in the disabled machine.

. The present invention has for its object to provide improved means for positively,

coupling two motor vehicles, in such manner as to avoid the consequences of the strains imposed upon the machine .employed A. further object is to provide a coupling device having means for attachment to thesteering rods of the disabled machine, whereby the latter may be automatically steered bythe machine which does the towing, thus avoiding the necessity of sending an extra man. The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims. I

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the invention. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view illustrate ing the steering device, detached. Fig. 4 is a detail of an element of the steering device. Referring to the drawing, 10 designates construction, the same being shown in Fig. 1, 1n the posltlon occupied when in use. The forward end of said draw bar lsconnect-ed by a gimbal joint llto a member 12,.

which is swiveled at 14: in a coupling bar 15, provided with clips 16, by means of which itqmay be attached to the rear spring, body or rear axle 17 of an automobile.-

Pivotally attached to 'the rear endof the i towed, and also have hcrizontalmovement to permit slight varattions in the the two vehicles.

The rear end of the tongue 18 projects beyond the coupling member 19, and is preferablyreduced in width to receive and supcourse of port -a cli 22, provided with a depending stud 23. aid clip comprises two relatively adjustable plates between which. the tongue extends, said plates being clamped in any adjusted position by means of bolts and nuts J n ee jr eni w'ratentea rears, iaia. Application filed February 5, 1916'. fierial No. 76,414. i I

a draw bar of any suitable or preferred 24.. Rotatably mounted upon the stud 23 are collars 25 and 26, each having an car 27, pivotally connected to the forked end of an operating arm 28, there being one arm 28 for each collar; Pivotallyconnected with the outer ends of, the respective operating arm, are clamps 29, each composed of upper and lower plates, grooved at 30, to receive the steering rods 31 of the disabled machine,

said plates being held tightly against said rods by means'ef nuts and bolts 32.

In practice, when it is desired. to utilize the invention, the coupling bar 15 is secured to the rear axle of the machine that is to do the towing, or to some other desirable 16. The coupling member 19 is thensecured to the. front aXle of the disabled machine; by means of thei iclips 20. Thus the two vehicles will be securely coupled together so that movement of the vehicle. doing the towing is imparted to the other vehicle. In

ice

part of said machine, by means ofthe clipsiend er to insure the automatic steering of the towed vehicle, so as to follow the course of "the leading vehicle, theelip-22 is attached 'ing arms steerinrod ,31, so'that said clamps 29 be ma e toengage said. steering-rod. It will be observed that if the construction or :ciently upon crating arms.

and means for connecting said to the tongue 18,- and .thecollars 25 and 26 are-placed'in position upon the stud 23.

The clip is moved to a position that .will.

bring said collars, and the attached operate,

28 and clamps 29, beneath the may the machine is such that the eli 22 cannot be brought directly-opposite. t e steering rods, the collars 25 and 26 will rotate sufii the stud 23, to permit the opto' be attachedto the. steering rods. By. means oftliis arrangement, when the tongue 18 swings on the pivotal con'-' nection with the coupling membenli), as the course of the operating arms 28 are correspondingly moved with the tongue, andztheir movement .is imparted to the steering rods 31, thereby insuring that the disabled machine will be automaticallysteered so as to follow-thei'exe act course of the leading machine.

Having'thus explained the nature of my invention and described an operative man'-' nerLof constructing and using the same, although without attem' L-An improved towing device comp'r'ising a draw -bar, means tor attaching the same to a motor vehicle, a flattt'on'gue pivoted at one end to said draw-bar, an angle plate, a clampingplate'provided with clips for attachment to a. vehicle tobe towed, said plate being constructed to clamp one mem-' er of, said angle 'plate between'it and the front axle offa disabled vehicle, means for pivotally connecting the tongue between itsends to the other member of said; angle plate, i55

akeeper slid-ably mounted on said tongue, keeper with the steering,rod of said disabled vehicle.

leading machine varies, the

'f tioned vehicle.

ting to set forth, a1l 'offthe forms in whic it may be made,-or all of the, forms" of its use, what I claim sze An improved towing device comprising a" draw-bar having means at one end for engaging a portion of a motor vehicle, tongue pivotally' connected to the other end. of saiddraw' bar, meansv for, pivotally connecting-saidtongue to the vehicle to be.

towed, a depending'stud carried by said' tongue,collarsmountedto rotate upon sald stud, and operating arms pivotally connectvehiele,

ed to the respective collars and having means to engage the steering rods ofthe last mena. .An improved towing device comprising a drawbar, means for attaching the same to a 'motorvehicle, a tongue pivotall-y connected to one end, of said drawbar, means 'for .pivotally connecting-the tongu'eto the 'vehicle to be towed, a'-cli car'riedby said tongue, said clip being adwstable to be positioned beneatlr'thesteering rod ofthe vehicle to be towed, a stud depending from said clip, and; arms pivoted to said stud and having means whereby they maybe'attached to. the steering rod of'the vehicle' to be towed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubseribing witnesses.

7 ANDREW 'rnusr P'OEIILMANN.

Witnesses: I

Join: H. Y'DAMES, R, GILBERT 'SHILLMAN. 

